Top performing Oakland schools fighting for survival

The American Indian Model Charter Schools are supposed to turn in their appeal to Alameda County to stay open on Friday.

But the person overseeing the effort has had little time to prepare. In the last week the school’s director and two principals were fired and the board president resigned.

The top leaders who were fired told The Chronicle their demise came after pushing to hire a financial management company, calling for the resignation of at least two board members, Nedir Bey and Jean Martinez, and pushing to keep former director Ben Chavis from interfering in the schools’ operations.

The Oakland school board last month voted to close the top-ranking schools because of financial mismanagement.